


Ours Is A Path That Has No Turning

by mammothluv



Category: Grey's Anatomy
Genre: Female Friendship, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-01-13
Updated: 2010-01-13
Packaged: 2017-10-06 06:01:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,118
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/50448
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mammothluv/pseuds/mammothluv
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set somewhere between 5.22 and 5.23.  Meredith remembers meeting Izzie and Meredith and Izzie talk about the future.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ours Is A Path That Has No Turning

**Author's Note:**

> written for a prompt from the lovely [](http://candylandgal.livejournal.com/profile)[**candylandgal**](http://candylandgal.livejournal.com/) for the [alphabet meme](http://mammothluv.livejournal.com/58909.html#cutid1). Grey's Anatomy belongs to Shonda Rhimes and ABC. I'm not making any profit and no copyright infringement is intended.

_Meredith’s first impression of Izzie was all blonde, perfect boobs, and endless energy. The night of their intern mixer, Meredith had a run in her pantyhose before she even made it out of the house and her hair wouldn't even come close to doing what she wanted it to. By the time she arrived, late of course, she was dreading the whole thing. She was dreading the competition she'd see in the other interns' eyes and the inevitable questions about her mother. Making it infinitely worse was fact that she'd have to stay at least semi-sober if she didn’t want to be pegged as the slutty alcoholic intern before she’d even officially started the program._

_She was greeted the moment she walked in the door with an extended hand and a chipper, "Hi. I'm Izzie Stevens. I'm so excited to meet you!" All Meredith could see was the perfect hair and the shiny dress and a smile that bordered on psychotically happy. She muttered a hello and quickly excused herself to find the bar. The last thing she needed was to be seen right next to the gorgeous and peppy intern; it would only highlight her imperfections.  
_  
It's strange seeing Izzie so still now. The Izzie in the bed across from her looks small in comparison to the woman Meredith met that night. Izzie has gotten quieter and slower in recent weeks. Her smiles are mostly forced now. Izzie's still there but she's muted.

Her smiles weren't forced yesterday, though. Yesterday Izzie was radiant in her wedding dress with flowers in her hair. Today she's bald. Today it is impossible to pretend Izzie is anything but sick.

_Just a few weeks after they moved in together, Izzie lost a patient, a ten year old with a congenital heart defect. Meredith stopped for a bottle of tequila on her way home. She was expecting to find Izzie depressed. Instead, she walked into the kitchen to see Izzie surrounded by three cakes and an unidentifiable layered raspberry thing._

_"Yay! Meredith, you're home. I think I've finally perfected my maple cream cheese frosting. You want some cake?"_

_She hesitated for a moment before setting the bottle of tequila down on the counter and saying, "Sure. Which one has the recently perfected maple cream cheese icing?"_

_Izzie grinned and cut them both a slice of cake. "Are you going to share some of that tequila?" she asked._

_As she poured them each a glass of tequila, Meredith realized that she got drunk and had inappropriate sex and Izzie made cake and told herself and anyone who would listen that the sun would come out tomorrow. Underneath the picture perfect model exterior, Izzie really was hopeful and chipper but she was also scared and screwed up just like the rest of them. Meredith liked her so much better once she understood that._

In the past few years, Meredith has gone from tolerating Izzie's presence in her house to looking forward to morning waffles and garish holiday decorations. She tries not show it but she even occasionally appreciates the pep-talks. She hopes Izzie knows that. Seeing Izzie's optimism falter in the past weeks has frightened her more than any of the physical signs of cancer.

Breath in, breath out, breath in, breath out.

Meredith stopped by after rounds to say hi but Izzie's been asleep since she arrived. She should go check on other patients and come back when Izzie's actually awake but instead she's sitting here watching Izzie sleep.

"Why are you staring at me?"

Izzie's voice pulls Meredith from her thoughts. "What?"

"You're staring at me, Meredith. It's a little creepy."

"Sorry, didn't realize you were awake. Would a wedding picture distract you from my creepy staring?" She hands Izzie the picture of her and Alex. "Bailey took it. I thought you'd want one."

Izzie studies the picture of her and Alex standing in front of the church with their arms around each other. Her hands shake just a little as she sets the picture down on the table next to her bed. She reaches up to touch the scarf that covers her head. "Alex said I was hot. Bald. He said I was hot bald," she says.

Meredith nods in agreement. "It's true. I wouldn't look that hot bald."

"You're right you wouldn't."

Meredith laughs.

"Meredith, seriously, I need to ask you. I just... You and Alex have a thing. You get him. And, he loves me. He really loves me. We got married yesterday and we came back here and he shaved my head and told me I was hot. Then he held me until I fell asleep. Alex Karev, Meredith. He's in this. He’s my freaking husband. He's not running away. And when I'm gone..."

"Izzie."

"Meredith. I need to... I just need to know that you'll look out for him. He's mean when he's hurt and other people will walk away. You won't. I need to know you won't."

Meredith feels a tightness in her chest. She doesn't want to think about this.

"Meredith."

She doesn't want to think about this but she's felt helpless from the moment she heard Izzie's diagnosis and this is what Izzie needs.

"You're family, Izzie. You and Alex are my family and I'm not going to leave him and neither are you."

"But if I do," Izzie says.

"If you do," Meredith replies.

Izzie nods.

"But you won't, you know," Meredith says. "You're going to beat this. I know the odds aren't good but you're Izzie. We're doctors. We've seen miracles, things that couldn't be explained with odds or science. You're going to get better, Izzie. The sun will come out tomorrow and..."

It sounds stupid to her even before it comes out of her mouth but she can’t stop herself from saying it anyway. Izzie is staring at her; she looks incredulous. "Whatever. You know what I mean. I was trying to do the optimistic thing. You're better at it. Don't look at me like that."

"Did you really just say 'The sun will come out tomorrow'? You're Annie all of the sudden? You really are being creepy today, Meredith." But she's smiling the big, genuine Izzie smile that doesn't look forced or fake.

Before either of them can say anything else, Alex walks in. He takes his seat beside Izzie and leans over to kiss her on the cheek. "What have you two been talking about? Rehashing girlie wedding details?"

"Just how Meredith wouldn't look nearly as hot bald as I do," Izzie says.

Alex smiles and looks at Izzie and then Meredith. "It's true. You wouldn't. My wife's the hottest," he says to Meredith.

"Yeah. She is," Meredith says.


End file.
